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6 Energy-Efficient New Year’s Resolutions For 2018

Two-thousand eighteen is around the corner. That means it’s time to start talking about New Year’s resolutions. As you think about starting a new project, improving your health or taking steps to better your life, we suggest you also consider how to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Two-thousand eighteen is around the corner. That means it’s time to start talking about New Year’s resolutions. As you think about starting a new project, improving your health or taking steps to better your life, we suggest you also consider how to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Take a look at these energy-efficient New Year’s resolutions for your home’s HVAC system:

Take a Closer Look at Your Thermostat

Over the years, we’ve seen that many homeowners set their thermostats too high in the heating season and too low in the cooling season. As a result, you waste loads of energy.

For instance, most people can be comfortable at temperatures between 76 and 79 degrees. Instead, they set their thermostats significantly lower during the summer. Each degree of difference changes your air conditioner’s energy usage by about 2 percent, so it’s worth setting your thermostat as high as you can stand.

Avoid Extreme Temperature Flunctuations

A related resolution: Don’t set your thermostat extremely higher or lower when you get home to reach your desired temperature faster. All you’ll do is cause your HVAC system to overshoot your target temperature and waste energy. For maximized savings, set your thermostat at a consistent temperature.

Set Your Systems Up For Success

Even a brand-new, highly efficient HVAC system won’t run at peak efficiency if the surrounding circumstances are holding it back. For example, your air conditioner will run more efficiently if the outdoor unit is in the shade instead of direct sunlight.

Any forced-air system, including furnaces and air conditioners, needs clear airflow to run at high efficiency. This means you need to remove plants, furniture and other objects from a two-foot radius around your system. This may also mean you need to clean and seal your ducts cleaned and sealed to promote better airflow.

Change Your Air Filter Regularly

A dirty air filter not only reduces energy efficiency but also contributes to maintenance issues and shortens your system’s lifespan. Depending on the type of filter, you may need to clean or replace it 30 to 90 days. Keeping up with filter changes will help your forced-air system run at high efficiency throughout each season.

Check Your Insulation

Especially during the heating season, insulation makes a massive difference in terms of energy efficiency. Your home loses heat through its walls, windows, doors and roof.

As a result, your furnace, boiler or heat pump will work harder to heat your home and make up for lost heat. The better your insulation, the less heat your home will lose, which significantly improves energy efficiency throughout the winter.

Invest In Preventive Maintenance

The single biggest investment you can make in your home HVAC system is a preventive maintenance agreement. At the beginning of the heating and cooling seasons, a professional HVAC service technician should take a close look at your HVAC system and calibrate it.

Moreover, your service technician will also repair any small, emerging issues that can lead to more significant maintenance problems down the road. Doing so not only improves energy efficiency but also extends the lifespan of your HVAC system. You’ll also get the peace of mind that comes from knowing your heating and cooling systems have been professionally checked.

Being comfortable at home is a necessity, but you shouldn’t have to spend more than necessary on energy for that privilege. To learn more about improving energy efficiency, call us at 647-926-1347. We look forward to helping you save more energy and money in 2018.